


Twenty

by yozakura



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-23 20:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1577741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yozakura/pseuds/yozakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mao turns twenty and Daisuke takes her out for a drink and something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twenty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tokyosolstice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tokyosolstice/gifts).



> Unedited. Please don't bite.

He'd been looking forward to this day for who knows how long. He's never forgotten her birthday and even when they're both busy with practice and competitions, he'd always send her an email with his heartfelt wishes. But he admits that sometimes he forgets her actual age, for she's always so stoic and mature on the ice and in interviews. It's only when she smiles at him and calls him _Dai-chan_ that he knows this is the same little girl who'd watched over him during practices all those years ago.

And today is that little girl's twentieth birthday. 

He'd promised her some time ago that he'd take her out for drinks and here he is on the ice of her skating rink, gliding with her until the end of her four-hour session. _Liebesträume_ , her song selection for this season's long program, is playing on loop in the background.

She's focused on perfecting her jumps while he's practicing his footwork sequences. It's only when their paths cross that she smiles at him, her eyes crinkling around the corners. 

When she's done landing two of her signature triple axels, she comes to a stop and puts her hands on her knees. 

He glides up to her and pats her back. _Good job_ , he says, proudly like a coach.

She looks up at him, all out of breath, and thanks him before straightening her back.

 _Come_ , he beckons and takes her hand, and for a split second he's surprised how well her fingers fit into his. Her hands had been different when she was younger. Smaller and firm. Now she's emitting a kind of sensuality coupled with determination--a sensual warmth that makes his heart jump triple axels. 

He takes her to the center of the ice and twirls her around, eliciting some giggles from the birthday girl. _Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to the princess of the ice…happy birthday, Mao-chan._

She laughs, her hands still entwined with his and she bows deeply. He pulls her closer to him and an arm of his naturally settles itself on her waist. She's no longer the same little girl, it seems, and somehow he finds himself contemplating about that strangely.

Her calm but appreciative voice interrupts his thoughts. _Thank you, Dai-chan._

 _Shall we go now?_ He takes his arm away from her waist but does not let go of her hand as they glide toward the edge. _Or do you want to practice some more?_

She shakes her head. _I'm ready to leave._

And so they finish up at the rink and head to one of his favorite drinking spots.

 

The two of them are sitting on high leather bar stools in a dimly lit intimate corner, their shoulders and knees touching. Popular tunes are blasting from the bar's audio system, but neither of them seems to be listening. 

He's ordered her a Cassis Orange, something light and simple for the beginner. _Take sips_ , he tells her, _so that the alcohol doesn't rush to your head at once._

She happily obliges and brings the drink closer to her. She looks into it like a curious child and then glances at him before taking a sip as directed. 

He watches for her reaction as she takes a second sip and hopes he's chosen the right drink for her. One can hardly go wrong with something fruity but he's never too sure of himself. _What do you think?_ he asks, almost nervously while tapping his finger on the side of his beer. _Is it too strong for you? Maybe we should have started you with some chuuhi or something--_ And he lifts his hand to wave at the bartender when she puts her hand on his to stop him.

 _I like it,_ she says, smiling at him as she pushes his hand gently onto the table. _I was just getting a little hungry._

A sense of relief washes over him and he lets his shoulders drop--he didn't even know he was that nervous to begin with. He chuckles, knowing how much she enjoys eating. _The food should be coming out soon._

A surprised look lights up her face. _You've ordered? What did you order?_

 _It's a surprise,_ he says rather smugly, taking a sip of his beer. He'd spoken to her coach a couple of nights before to see if she was on any particular restrictions, then called the restaurant in advance to put together an order. But of course he'd kept that to himself fin case anything goes wrong. 

She puts her hands together and thanks him with a bow and a cheeky smile. It's only then that he realizes her hand had been on his the entire time, and the void that comes with the sudden absence stirs his heart. 

He blames it on the alcohol. Or so he tries to.

 

Her birthday cake comes after the meal. 

It is a mont blanc cake topped with a candle in the shape of a figure skater, and he watches as her eyes feast upon its entirety. For about thirty seconds or so, her attention is drawn to the cake. He sees two blotches of pink on her cheeks and for some reason she reminds him of a puppy who is about to dig into her food with gusto. 

Delight is reflected in her eyes when she finally turns toward him. _Mont blanc!_ she exclaims, smiling as she puts her hands together to make a wish.

He laughs as he pulls out his mobile phone to capture this moment. Two shots go by and somewhat he's not satisfied with the framing of the photo so he pulls his stool closer. 

She shuts her eyes and silently wishes for something with a grin. Perhaps she's wishing for a gold medal, he thinks, as he finally takes a satisfactory shot of her. 

_Let's take a picture together_ , she suggests the moment she's finished and leans a little closer to him. _Let's do it before I blow out the candle._

He obliges for it's her birthday and whatever she says today goes. (Not just today, but all the time, it seems.) He puts an arm around her waist without much thought, and it's only when her cheek presses against his that he realizes they may be a little too intimate. He could just turn very slightly and kiss her cheek if he wants to, but she leaves him no time to think about that as she's urging him to press the camera button before she blinks.

A few seconds later, though, he does what he'd been thinking about prior to pressing that button. Half accident, half on purpose. And it's so brief that he doesn't think she's misunderstood him. At least he doesn't think so. (The alcohol seems to be getting to his own head while she's still sober. He thinks.)

But then she glances at him, rather shyly, rather unlike the little girl he's known for years who'd spin and jump like no other. _Thank you_ , she says, and without another word blows the candle on the cake.

**Author's Note:**

> ~ Mao likes chestnuts according to her appearance with Daisuke on Hanamaru Cafe in 2010. 
> 
> I may have missed something else. Please let me know and I will edit? Thank you.


End file.
